Palestinian shot dead by Israeli troops

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian and injured hundreds as “Day of Rage” protests continued across the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip over the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, media reports say.

According to WAFA, the health ministry retracted an earlier statement that a second man was killed.

The Red Crescent also said on Friday that so far, they have attended to at least 217 injuries in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, while in the Gaza Strip more than 20 people were treated for tear gas inhalation and rubber bullet wounds.

WAFA reported that about 50 those injuries had to be treated at a hospital.

In and around the Old City of Jerusalem, protests began after noon prayers on Friday.

Speaking in front of Damascus Gate in occupied East Jerusalem, Al Jazeera’s Harry Fawcett said the protests have been mostly peaceful.

“Occupied East Jerusalem has been relatively peaceful in the past two days since this announcement from Trump,” he said.

“Emotions are very high here and it doesn’t take much to kick things off,” he added.

“The protests have largely been noisy and loud and occasionally Palestinian flags and banners [would be] unfurled at which Israeli security forces would move in and separate out some of those who they wanted to target.”

Israeli forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators in the occupied West Bank cities of Hebron and Bethlehem, with at least one case of live ammunition being reported, Palestinian medical services said.

Friday marked the third day of protests across the occupied territories.

Palestinian universities, schools, and educational institutions had also declared a strike after a directive from the Palestinian Ministry of Education.

Trump, ignoring warnings from the international community, announced on Wednesday that the US was formally recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and will begin the process of moving its embassy to the city, breaking with decades of US policy.

The decision has been condemned by world leaders who have described it as a “dangerous escalation” and a final nail in the coffin of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, while Israel says the city, which is under Israeli occupation, cannot be divided.